French Style - Why the French are chic

It starts right at the beginning...that French sense of style.

In the bassinet.

Is it any wonder they have a leg up on us (and a very thin leg).

This little girl is smartly dressed in a chic dark navy/marine bleu 'sheer' pleated skirt.

A few years later. Add a tan belt and tan bag et voila. The classic navy schoolgirl dress is the epitome of French chic.

I love the independence and confidence of this four(?) year old walking down the street on her own. My mother would have never let me do that.

Never crossing the street on her own by the way. *Note the scarf treatment. I’d wear the who.e outfit minus the poussette.

Scarf-tying leçons start early. My mom didn't bother tying my scarf correctly as a toddler. No wonder it's a mess.

French grownups love copying their kid's pigtails.

The braid/natte, no matter how thin or scraggly will always be IN.

The French take US motifs and make them look chic not tacky.

Why is that?

The French love ❤️ their hats. A mom with two kids in Office Depot school shopping was wearing a Michael Jackson black fedora hat. I wish I'd shot that picture. The H and M posters around town are Michael Jackson poses btw.

The day after 'Labor Day' all-white plus straw hat. Why not?

Across the street all-black on this older French woman.

This French woman isn't giving up her Summer clothes yet.

This satchel is for kids or grownups?

An homme d'affair/business man carries the same bag. Not so chic but a continuation of school days. As far as taste buds go the French are light years ahead from the get-go. Pierre Hermé has a 'new kid on the block' to try - the Dépaysé. A green macaron 'sandwich' flavored with thé vert Matcha, gingimbre, aduki beans and citron vert. Miam maim
At least we can eat chic.

Pierre Herme's Ispahan on My Mind

Pierre Herme's ISPAHAN is on my mind lately... If you look in my Flickr Favorites that's about all you'll see... I looked at Pierre Herme's site
and he's having AN ISPAHAN CONTEST! You could win these ISPAHAN goodies. Did you know that the 'Ispahan' rose, also known as 'Rose d'Isfahan' and 'Pompon des Princes' is one of the finest Damask roses. It's also one of the most beautiful and fragrant of all roses. And it's very hardy and tolerates poorer soils.

Pierre Herme's Ispahan is made of:

Biscuit macaron a la rose,

Creme aux petales de rose,

framboises entiere

letchis.

Next time in Paris I'm going early to Herme's shop. So I'll be the first in the line...

I'm taking my Ispahan to this rosey cafe table. I hope I can find it again - I plan to do a color match.
BONJOUR ISPAHAN!

Paris Berries

The four windows at Pierre Herme are full of giant strawberries/fraises... And Paris is full of berries everywhere you look.

Back to Pierre Herme. His Spring/Summer collection is awash in red berries with green pistache like this Tarte Montebello...

We tried again his spécialité de la maison, the Ispahan full of raspberries - it never disappoints.

Red berries seen in residence on rue de vaugirard...

Patisserie Thevenin Saint Placide is always berry nuts.

And berries + chocolate...

At Epicerie Bon Marche berries wait their turn...

Even Paris streets are full of berry-pink bunnies from Cracking Good Art on Bd. St-Germain...

And Patisserie Secco at 20 rue Jean Nicot 75007 has a permanent pink berry hound waiting outside patiently...

This poodle was waiting not so patiently (yowling for his mistress) - his collar is strawberry red...ahem

BONJOUR FRAISES des PARIS!

Is that the inspiration for the red shoes seen all over town? No patisserie shop is missing a berry tarte in it's vitrines.

Ispahan Rose

Ispahan Cheesecake, original watercolor, 9"x 11"

As promised pre-trip, I did get to taste quite a few of Pierre Herme's Ispahan Collection.
Photo by Saxon Holt

Last Sunday, I went to meet my miniature supplier, Priscilla, RementQueen for brunch. She was accompanied by a famed Rosarian, Clair G. Martin, Curator of the Huntington Rose Garden and our brunch turned into a rose lesson!
Yesterday I got his beautiful book in the mail, 100 Old Roses For The American Garden. Marie-Antoinette isn't holding a rose here just to look pretty. The French were instrumental in developing repeat blooming roses and future Empress Josephine encouraged her friend to develope new species of roses
No wonder Pierre Herme is obsessed with roses. The French and roses go back a long ways.
I ate this Ispahan Rose cheesecake.
I ate the Ispahan Surprise too...
I did not have the nerve to get the Saint Honore Ispahan.
Saving it for next time...
You see rose pink everywhere in Paris...
Like these tiny child's ballerinas...
Or this Anne Fontaine pink bow belt...
No wonder the French say La vie en rose...
Last weather report from Paris I heard it's still chilly and rainy...
But if I had this rose pink umbrella, would I care?